


X-Patrol: Chapter 11 - Hearts 'n Flowers

by thebasement_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Crossover, Fiction, M/M, Mpreg, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-01-05
Updated: 2004-01-05
Packaged: 2018-11-21 01:54:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11347452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebasement_archivist/pseuds/thebasement_archivist
Summary: Relationship and pregnancy problems ring in the New Year.





	X-Patrol: Chapter 11 - Hearts 'n Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Basement](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Basement), which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Basement's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thebasement/profile).

X-Patrol: Chapter 11 - Hearts 'n Flowers

### X-Patrol: Chapter 11 - Hearts 'n Flowers

#### by Jo B

  


Title: X-Patrol: Chapter 11 - Hearts 'n Flowers 

Author: Jo B 

Keywords: M/Sk, D/K, and J/B. Slash AU mpreg XF/TS crossover 

Rating: NC-17 

Story Summary: Colonization has begun. Four men set aside their differences and form an alliance to fight the aliens and stake out a new life together in their shattered world. 

Chapter Summary: Relationship and pregnancy problems ring in the New Year. 

Disclaimer: The X-Files are the property Chris Carter, 1013 productions and Fox Broadcasting. The Sentinel belongs to Pet Fly Productions, UPN, and Paramount. No money is being made from their use. 

Author's notes: I know, readers really hate cliffhangers, but I couldn't help myself since I wasn't sure how this one was going to come out when I ended it. Well I do now<eg> but the cliffhanger stays. At least you won't have to wait too long for the next chapter; I'm already half way done with it. 

Warning! This story contains romance between two men. Turn back now, if the subject matter offends you. Warning! Warning! This story contains male pregnancy! Eek run for your lives! 

Archive: Yes, just leave my name attached. 

Web site: http://slashingmulder.com/JoB/ 

Special thanks to my beta-readers Joey and Xscribe. 

* * *

"Time is too slow for those who wait,  
too swift for those who fear,  
too long for those who grieve,  
too short for those who rejoice,  
but for those who love, time is eternity." 

~ Henry Van Dyke 

* * *

Chapter 11  
X-Patrol 

Hearts 'n Flowers 

Coronado Naval Base  
Tuesday, January 15, 2002  
3:00 p.m. 

Bill Scully clawed at the fingers choking off his air supply. His attacker's grip tightened around his throat as he was lifted off the floor with superhuman strength. 

"Where is Dana Scully?" the stern-faced man asked. 

"Gaaggh...." Was all Bill could get out as his life flashed before his eyes. 

The man loosened his grip slightly allowing his captive to breathe. 

Bill gulped air into his lungs. 

"Where is Dana Scully?" the man repeated in a soft tone as if asking the time of day. 

"I-I don't know." 

The man's fingers tightened again. "Where is she?" 

"Gaaa ... I don't even know if she's alive!" Sweat dripped off Bill's face and dampened his shirt. He hadn't heard from Dana or his mother since before the aliens attacked. "What do you want with my sister?" 

"I want her to lead me to Fox Mulder." 

Bill should have known that bastard would be involved somehow. 

The sound of a gun cocking drew their attention. 

A voice called out behind them. "Release Captain Scully!" 

Without blinking an eye, the man spun, throwing Bill Scully bodily at a young lieutenant standing in the doorway with a handgun pointed at them. Bill crashed into the lieutenant, the gun discharged, and the bullet hit a lamp as the two men sprawled onto the floor. 

As shouts and footsteps raced toward the office, the stern-faced man crashed through the window, landing on the asphalt three stories below. 

An MP ran over to the window and started shooting at the fleeing man as Bill shakily climbed to his feet. 

"Fuck." The MP backed away from the window. "Captain Scully, come look at this." 

Moving over to the window, Bill looked at the broken glass where the MP was pointing. The jagged edge was stained with green liquid that sizzled and melted the glass. 

"Call the decontamination unit," Bill said as he backed toward the door. It was probably too small an amount to be lethal, but he didn't want to take any chances. 

"What was an alien doing here?" Lieutenant Barry asked. 

"He was looking for my sister," Bill said. 

"Why her?" 

"He thinks she knows where Fox Mulder is hiding." 

"So he was really after Agent Mulder," the Lieutenant said. "Would your sister know how to find him?" 

"I doubt my sister knows where Mulder is...." Bill rubbed his bruised throat. "They didn't part on the best of terms." He hadn't been able to locate Dana or their mother yet. The country was still too chaotic and he wasn't able to take time away from his post to search for them in person. Bill hoped that his sister was trying to make it to California. 

The military had been searching for Mulder for the past five months with no luck. Now with the aliens looking for him, that would make finding Mulder even more of a priority. 

"I better report this incident to the Admiral," Bill said. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Bear, Fox, Wolf, Dog, Rat, and Panther 

Monday, February 11, 2002  
3:00 p.m. 

For the sake of comfort or more to the point because he had no other option, Skinner was now wearing sweatpants. At the beginning of his fourth month his belly had swelled to the point where he could no longer get any of his pants pulled up pass his ass even with the zipper completely unzipped. 

To make matters worse, Doctor Nightingale had banned him, Alex, and Blair from the chicken coop and from cleaning the barn. So that meant they had to adjust the list of chores. Not that Skinner liked cleaning the chicken coop or shoveling shit out of the barn, but he disliked having that work fall solely on his lover, John, and Jim. 

After doing his chores which included bringing in wood for the fireplaces and stoves, Skinner sat in the parlor with Sandburg planning their spring vegetable and herb gardens. They wanted to increase the variety of vegetables and plant them more efficiently. Certain vegetables grew better together and others grew poorly when planted near certain vegetables. Skinner found this out from studying the gardening books. For instance, potatoes did not grow well with sunflowers -- eggplant grew well with beans but did poorly planted next to potatoes. Farming was a lot more complicated than Skinner had expected. 

Sandburg stood and sighed. "I need to use the bathroom again." He walked through the parlor and into the bathroom. 

A tiny fluttering in Skinner's belly drew his attention away from the notebook where he was sketching out the shape of one of their future gardens. 

"Fox, get over here!" Skinner called. 

Mulder was in the kitchen making dinner. At the panic in his lover's voice he dropped everything and dashed into the parlor. 

"What's wrong?" he asked as he squatted at Skinner's side. 

Grabbing Mulder's hand, Skinner placed it under his shirt and over his belly. "Do you feel it?" 

Mulder frowned and shook his head. "What am I suppose to feel?" 

"It's fucking moving." 

"You're feeling the baby move?" 

"It's so weird...." 

"It's probably too small for me to feel him." Mulder rubbed his hand over Walter's belly. "Can you tell me what it feels like?" 

"It's hard to describe ... sort of like I have a moth in my belly." 

"Are you disturbed by it moving?" Mulder asked softly while watching Walter's face. 

"It just took me by surprise," Skinner said gruffly. He didn't like discussing his condition but he'd been so unnerved when it moved. "You better get back to making dinner. The guys will be hungry when they return." 

The other three men had gone wild turkey hunting. 

Mulder stayed at his lover's side. "Don't shut me out, Walter." 

Skinner swallowed -- looked away -- then glanced back at his lover. "Fox, this is just so hard for me to deal with let alone talk about. Can't you understand that?" 

Mulder leaned forward and kissed him. "Just remember that I _am_ here for you. You're not going through this alone." 

A sad smile briefly picked up the corners of Skinner's lips. This was one of the reasons he loved Fox so much. The man was so caring and concerned about his well-being. Even when Mulder had only been his agent, the man still was there for him when he needed him. He gently brushed some flour off Mulder's cheek. "Do you need help with dinner?" 

"I could use help with dessert." 

"What are you planning to make?" 

"Bread pudding with a hard sauce." Mulder smiled as he stood. "Ya know, comfort food." 

It was also Skinner's favorite dessert. 

Fox's ability in the kitchen had come as a real surprise to Skinner. Somehow he never expected his former agent to be able to boil water let alone know how to make a hollandaise sauce. The man was by far the best cook of their group. Not the least of which had to do with Fox's eidetic memory. His lover continued to improve the more he cooked -- he was now competent enough to add ingredients without having to pre-measure them. Skinner doubted he'd ever get to a point that he'd forgo measuring spoons and cups. 

"I'll make the bread pudding," Skinner said. 

Sandburg came out of the bathroom. "I'm going to take a nap. I'm feeling really tired today." 

"I'll call you when dinner's ready," Mulder said as he looked at his friend with concern. 

"What's the point? I'll only throw it back up," Sandburg said as he left the room. 

Tearing apart pieces of stale bread, Skinner filled a greased baking dish. Without their careers to occupy their time, life's simpler pleasures had become the focal point of their lives. After companionship and sex, chores and meals had become the main part of their day. From tending the chickens to milking the cows to hunting to planning this year's vegetable gardens everything seemed to revolve around food. 

Maybe if Skinner were younger he'd want more from life than this simple mountain existence. But after serving in the marines, fighting in a war, then spending most of his adult life working for the FBI with its trials and tribulations, this felt like a long overdue vacation. Looking at his lover working quietly at his side, Skinner felt content -- he could happily spend the rest of his life here. 

As they worked, Skinner's mind turned back to Christmas. "What's your favorite fable?" he asked. 

Mulder looked up from chopping an apple for the salad. "The Ugly Duckling. Why do you want to know?" 

"I was just curious," Skinner said. "Why that particular one?" 

Mulder shrugged. "It taught me to look beneath the surface and not take things as they appeared." 

The rays of the setting sun filtered in through the window, highlighting the silky shades of brown in Fox's hair as it caressed over the curves and angles of his sexy body, Skinner reached over and grabbed his wrist, pulling Fox into his arms. "C'mere, you know you make me so horny." 

Mulder chuckled. "You seem to be on a hair-trigger these days. But I'm not complaining." His arms looped around Skinner's neck as they kissed. 

The back door opened and Ellison, Doggett, and Krycek stomped inside. 

"We can't leave these kids alone for two minutes," Ellison quipped as they took off their winter coats. 

Skinner and Mulder parted with a final caress and a brush of fingers. 

"Did you catch anything?" Skinner asked as he moved away from his lover to put the bread pudding in the oven. 

"Two toms," Doggett said, "That's the advantage when going hunting with a Sentinel." 

Krycek looked at Mulder. "Do I have time to take a shower before dinner?" 

"Yes. It'll be at least thirty minutes." 

"C'mon, John, let's defrost," Krycek grabbed Doggett's hand and pulled him toward the bathroom. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Fox and Bear 

Later that evening, with a pillow propped up behind his back and a notebook on his thighs Mulder sat writing in bed. He was working on a book that would document everything he knew about the aliens and his family's involvement in the conspiracy. Sitting beside him in bed, Walter was reading "Burpee: The Complete Vegetable and Herb Gardener." 

Skinner sighed. "You know what I'd kill for?" 

"What?" 

"A BLT sandwich." 

"Well, lettuce and tomato are no problem." 

"I haven't had bacon since before the aliens attacked." Skinner closed the book. "What I wouldn't give for one crispy, salty slice." 

"When we get those two pigs this summer...." 

"You're not helping...." 

Mulder raised an eyebrow ... was that a pout on his lover's lips? Now that was a cute look on him. "Maybe Paul Doggett will bring us a slab after the spring planting." 

"That's months away." 

Closing his notebook, Mulder placed it on the nightstand. "Are you really having cravings that bad?" 

"I know it's weird but I really am." 

"Okay, let me think about it," Mulder said. "I'll figure something out." 

Walter smiled and set his book aside. "I'd be forever grateful." 

Seeing his lover smile made Mulder's cock stir with arousal. He reached for the light switch with plans of satisfying a craving of his own. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Dog and Rat 

Doggett lay awake contemplating the many problems that the baby would bring into their lives. Diapers. They would need to make cloth diapers or scavenge them. Disposables were out of the question. He remembered how many Pampers his son Luke went through in a day, and decided it would be too wasteful. Cloth diapers would be more work, but were environmentally safe and more practical. Baby clothes. Couldn't have the kid running around naked. 

Their large loft bedroom would have to be sectioned to include a nursery at the same time they had to figure out how to more adequately heat the space. 

He'd talk to the guys about installing a fireplace up here. Maybe they could get started on it this month. 

Then there was Fox. His former lover had asked for his help in building a crib for his and Walter's baby. Poor Fox, he wanted to prepare for the baby without upsetting Walter who was still in denial. 

He sighed. 

"What's wrong?" Krycek murmured sleepily. 

"I was just thinking about how we're going to have to adjust our lives for the baby." 

"Adjust how?" 

"Like today, we can't just go out hunting together. One of us is going to have to stay home and watch the kid." 

"Naw, we'll just get Uncle Fox to watch the sprog for us." 

Doggett chuckled. "I think Fox will have enough work watching his own kid without looking after ours, too." 

"You're probably right, especially if Skinner still doesn't acknowledge the baby after it's born." 

"This is pretty hard on him," Doggett said as he placed a hand over Krycek's belly. 

Krycek pushed the hand away. "It's not easy for me either, but I've adjusted!" He rolled over and looked into his lover's eyes. "I don't know how Fox puts up with him." 

"I'm sure Fox doesn't see it your way. He's concerned about Walter and their baby." Doggett knew what it must be like for Mulder, wanting to be there for his lover and the baby, only to be held at arm's length. Lately Alex had been pulling further and further away from him. The intimacy of their first couple of months together had worn off. 

"It's just unfair to Fox to have to walk on eggshells around the man," Krycek said. 

Doggett sighed. "He's not walking on eggshells -- you're exaggerating." 

"Oh really? And who's secretly working on a crib because he's afraid he'd upset his lover?" 

"Alex, it's not any of our business," Doggett said gruffly. "Now go to sleep." 

"Shit ... I have to take a piss," Krycek grumbled as he climbed out of bed. He didn't bother with clothes as he hurried downstairs in the dark to the bathroom. 

With a frown furrowing his brow Doggett watched him leave. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Wolf and Panther 

Sandburg sat in front of the fireplace in his and Jim's bedroom. The past month he'd been having a hard time keeping anything down. He was constantly throwing up. Laura was worried he might lose the baby if he didn't get better. 

They radioed Sean to see if he would be able to find some gingerroot to help settle his stomach. All the ginger that they had had gone into making Christmas cookies. 

He started when Jim's hand touched his arm as he kneeled next to the chair. 

"Come back to bed, Chief." 

"I can't sleep...." Sandburg stared sadly into the flames. "I don't want to lose the baby." 

"You're not going to lose him." Ellison brushed Blair's hair out of his eyes. "You were able to keep down those crackers Mulder made for you ... that's a start. Now come to bed." 

Sandburg allowed his lover to help him over to the bed and tuck him in. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Fox and Frog 

Wednesday, February 13, 2002  
2:00 p.m. 

The horse snorted and whinnied as it trudged through the deep snow. Frohike kept a watchful eye on Mulder as they rode side by side. After the little man had found out that his friend was going to try to reach Helmut Schmidt's farm, Frohike had insisted on going along. The farm was eighteen miles downhill from Frohike's cabin. Not the easiest place to reach in the middle of winter and not advisable to travel to alone. 

To make matters worse, Mulder hadn't even told Skinner or the other men back at his place that he was going to Schmidt's. They thought he was visiting the Gunmen for the day. 

"We'll have to stay overnight at Helmut's," Frohike said as they stopped to rest their mounts. 

"Can't ... I need to get back home tonight." 

"It's too dangerous to make this trek at night." 

"Fuck." Mulder frowned. "Walter is going to be pissed." 

"He'll be more pissed if you get yourself killed while trying to travel through these trails in the dark." 

"You don't have to live with him," Mulder grumbled. 

Frohike's ears perked up. "What's wrong? I thought you were in love with him." 

"I am," Mulder sighed. "It's just that this pregnancy has made him emotional and short-tempered. Yesterday, I thought I was back to being his agent with the way he chewed me out for forgetting to fill the wood box for the wood-burning water heater." 

"Have you tried to talk to him?" 

"He doesn't want to talk about it." Mulder looked at Frohike. "I think he seriously believes that if he doesn't talk about it, it'll go away." 

"What are you going to do?" 

"Try to be patient. It's not really his fault." Mulder shrugged. "I'd be a grumpy bear too if the only pants I could fit into were sweatpants." 

Frohike shook his head while he concealed a smile. "Poor Walter." 

"No ... poor me." Mulder smirked. "Elastic will only stretch so far ... in a couple of months he won't have any pants that will stretch over his belly." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Bear and Dog 

Wednesday, February 13, 2002  
9:00 p.m. 

The cold didn't bother Skinner as he stood outside on the front porch and stared out into the darkness -- he was too angry. He clenched his jaw so tightly that he was giving himself a headache. What had Fox been thinking? His lover should have had the common sense to tell them where he was going instead of the subterfuge of going to visit the Gunmen. 

If it weren't for Ellison, Skinner would have broken the radio after Langly had informed them that Mulder and Frohike had gone to Helmut Schmidt's pig farm. Now he had too worry about whether Fox had made it down the slippery, snow-covered mountain's paths in one piece. To make matters worse, Skinner knew the only reason Fox went was that Skinner had a craving for bacon. Bastard! Only Skinner wasn't sure if he meant Fox or himself. 

"Walt," Doggett said as he stepped outside. "Come back inside before you catch pneumonia." 

"It's my fault that he went to Schmidt's," Skinner said. 

"How's that?" 

"I told him a couple of days ago that I wanted a BLT sandwich." 

Doggett chuckled. "So he went to Schmidt's for bacon." 

"It's not funny." 

"Yes it is!" Doggett placed his hand on Skinner's shoulder. "He'll be fine. If Fox didn't love you he wouldn't be trying to make you happy." 

"Getting himself killed isn't going to make me happy." 

"C'mon, Walt, this is a man who went to the Arctic and rescued his partner from an alien spaceship buried beneath the ice. He's not going to buy it on a twenty-four mile horseback ride to a pig farm." 

"Oh God, you're right." Skinner closed his eyes and sighed. "Living up here makes it easy to forget our past." 

"Come back inside. You can chew his butt out like old times when he gets back, and you're not going to be able to do that if you have a sore throat." 

Skinner sighed and followed Doggett inside. He wasn't looking forward to sleeping alone tonight. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Fox and Frog 

Wednesday, February 13, 2002  
9:00 p.m. 

Mulder had brought along the two bottles of vodka that Krycek had given them for Christmas to trade for the bacon. Helmut was quite willing to trade after sampling the vodka. They now sat at the man's table with his wife Carol and their five children -- their oldest was twenty and the youngest two. The little blond toddler insisted on sitting on Mulder's lap. 

Carol served them split pea soup. "It seemed like a pretty treacherous trip to make just for a slab of bacon," she said. 

Frohike picked up the soupspoon. "I also wanted to talk to Helmut about getting three shoats from him this spring for Mulder and myself." 

The large German farmer laughed. "I'd pay you to take them, Melvin." He got up and brought a loaf of rye bread over to the table. 

Mulder's attention was drawn from playing with the toddler to the bib overalls the man was wearing. They were loose around the waist and seemed to have a lot of room for his large potbelly. "Helmut, where did you get the overalls from? I'd like to get a pair." 

"Carol made them." He smiled at his wife. "She's makes all of our clothes." 

"Maybe we could work out a trade, for your wife's seamstress services," Mulder said. 

"What do you have?" Schmidt asked as he sat back at the table. 

"How about fresh tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers or mushrooms, homemade ravioli and sauce. Corn whiskey and vodka...." 

Frohike interrupted. "Mulder and his friends are also competent carpenters; they could make you a couple of new chairs for your table." 

"Deal," Schmidt said. "I'll take the fresh vegetables and two new chairs." 

Carol walked over to the drawer and pulled out a measuring tape then walked back over to Mulder. "Let me take your measurements, dear." 

"The overalls aren't for me. They're for a friend," Mulder said. "Could you make them the same size as your husband's?" 

"Sure. When would you need them?" 

"A month or two." 

"That shouldn't be a problem." 

"There's one other thing," Mulder said. "You wouldn't happen to have any gingerroot or ground ginger?" 

"I have quite a bit of gingerroot. Would you like a chunk?" 

"Yes, if you could spare it." 

"I used to chew on it when I was pregnant," she said and smiled at her youngest. "I don't expect to have another child." 

Mulder thanked her as she handed him the rough root. All in all this had been a successful trip. Now he just had to placate his grumpy bear when he got home. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Fox, Bear, Panther, and Rat 

Thursday, February 14, 2002 

After a large breakfast, Mulder and Frohike left the Schmidt's farm. It was harder traveling uphill and took them twice as long. It didn't help that the temperature had fallen and it had started snowing when they reached the halfway point. By the time they reached the Gunmen's cabin, the sun was setting and Mulder was numb and shivering. 

"Come in and warm up," Frohike said as he dismounted. 

"No. I have to get home." 

Bond hurried out of the cabin and took the reins of Frohike's horse. "I have her, Melvin." 

"Thanks, Jimmy." The little man looked up at Mulder. "I'll radio your cabin and let them know you're on your way." 

"Thanks, Frohike." 

Mulder was too cold to worry about facing Walter's wrath. All that he wanted was a hot shower and a hot meal. And, if Walter would forgive him, then to be held by those powerful arms until he stopped shivering. 

Krycek was waiting for him in the barn when Mulder rode the horse inside and slid out of the saddle. 

"You look like shit," Krycek said as he took the reins of the horse. 

"I feel like shit." Mulder grabbed the saddlebag, even his fingers felt numb inside the gloves. "Is he pissed?" 

"He was yesterday. Today he's been quiet. He spent all morning and part of the afternoon in the workshop. He even asked John and Jim to handle his chores for him." 

"I better go face the music," Mulder sighed as he carried the saddlebag out of the barn. 

When he stepped into the kitchen, his lover was standing there waiting for him. 

"You look tired," Skinner said as he took the saddlebag from Mulder and handed it to Ellison. 

Mulder took off his gloves and glanced at Ellison. "Jim, there's some gingerroot inside the front pocket." 

"I could kiss you," Ellison said as he dug the gingerroot out of the pocket. 

Mulder tried to gauge Walter's mood as his lover helped him off with his coat and boots. Without a word spoken, Skinner took his hand and led him into the bathroom, then closed the door behind them. 

Around the room candles flickered, lighting the small space in their golden glow. The bathtub was filled with hot soapy water. On a tray beside the tub were two wineglasses, one filled with red wine the other apple juice. 

Walter started to undress. "I thought we could share a bath before I get too large to take one with you." 

Feeling unsettled by his lover's unexpected behavior, Mulder fumbled to undress. He finally stopped and asked, "You're not mad at me?" 

After dropping the last of his clothes on the floor, Skinner started to help Mulder remove his clothes. 

"Walter, what's going on?" Mulder asked breathlessly. Being this close to his naked lover made him hard with desire. Even with the pronounced changes in Walter's body -- the darker nipples, the filling out around the breast area and of course his round belly. Other than that, from the broad shoulders to his muscular thighs Walter was still magnificently built, and then there was the lovely weight of heavy sacs and beautiful plump penis that completed the package. Mulder felt extremely privileged to have such a man for his lover. 

Skinner tilted his head, brushed his lips against Mulder's, and murmured, "Happy Valentine's day," Before he proceeded to claim the younger man's mouth in a more passionate kiss. 

Mulder embraced that strong body as he returned the kiss. The press of Walter's round belly against his felt strangely erotic. 

He smiled as they moved from kissing into the almost too hot water of the bath. His chilled feet burned at first and his thighs and ass sore from two days of horseback riding, enjoyed the feel of the hot soothing water as he sat between Walter's thighs. 

"I completely forgot what today was," Mulder said when his lover handed him the wineglass as he reclined against Skinner's broad chest. "I never really had any reason to celebrate it in the past." 

Skinner's arms wrapped tenderly around Mulder's torso and held him close. "Fox, I had a long night in a cold bed to think about us and how I was treating you this past month." 

"You don't have to...." 

"Sh ... if I hadn't been so quick tempered you would have told me where you were going yesterday instead of lying." Skinner kissed the side of Mulder's head as he held him. "I don't want to repeat the mistake I made with Sharon -- I want to talk to you about how I'm feeling, no matter how hard that is for me to do -- no secrets." 

It felt like a weight had lifted from Mulder's shoulders as he relaxed in Walter's arms. The hot water with the sweet scent of roses was almost as sweet as his lover's words. "I'm sorry I lied to you, Walter, I was worried you'd tell me no." 

"I'm no longer your boss; we're equals in this relationship. I cannot tell you no." Skinner chuckled. "Even if I did, you have an equal voice to tell me to get screwed." 

Mulder smiled. "Do you know how many times I wanted to do that when you were my boss?" He felt the hard press of Walter's love for him against his ass. 

"I can imagine," Skinner said. "Now drink your wine, I have something else for you." 

"I can feel it," Mulder said as he wiggled his butt. 

"Besides that." 

Mulder took a sip of wine as he lounged in Walter's arms. It felt good to get the chill out of his bones and at the same time have his mind put at ease. Walter still loved him ... nothing had changed. 

~x~X~x~ 

After their bath they retreated to their bedroom, dressed in robes and slippers. 

Last night Skinner realized he wanted something solid, something more tangible to bind them together. He wanted Fox to know that he loved him even if he didn't always show it. Skinner wasn't sure how his lover would react to the gift he made for him. He planned to give it to Fox as soon as they could stop kissing and groping for a couple of minutes. 

The heady feeling of arousal from Fox's hands caressing his body was driving Skinner to distraction. They'd already come once in the bath. First things first, Skinner decided as he grabbed Fox's wrists and broke off the kiss. "Stop for a moment ... I have something for you." 

"Can't you give it to me later?" 

Looking into those lovely green-gold eyes full of passion almost undid Skinner. He took a moment to study his lover, standing before him with his robe open, exposing the smooth, taut muscles on his chest and abs, and the beautiful large erection straining against his stomach. Suddenly the baby moved and for the first time Skinner wondered who this tiny life growing inside of him would look like -- him or Fox. He frowned when he realized that he had actually acknowledged it as their baby. 

"Walter, what's wrong?" 

"Stand here a moment." Skinner turned and retrieved the present from the nightstand drawer. He grabbed a throw pillow off the recliner and dropped it on the floor at Fox's feet then kneeled on it. Never in a million years would Skinner have believed that someday he'd be proposing marriage to another man, but with Fox it seemed so natural and perfect. He enjoyed the look of surprise on his lover's face as he took his hand. "Fox, will you marry me?" 

"I - how can we get married?" 

"I'll figure that out. Now will you?" 

A shy smile spread across the younger man's full lips. "Yes." 

Skinner slipped the ring on his finger. His lover had elegant hands with long fingers. 

"Where did you get the ring?" Mulder asked as he looked at the simple gold band. 

"I used a couple of gold coins, melted them down then poured it into a mold I made." 

"Will you help me make a matching ring for you?" 

"Of course," Skinner said as he stood and pulled Fox into his arms. "Now where were we?" 

Mulder smiled as they returned to kissing. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Wolf and Panther 

Sandburg dry heaved into the toilet bowl while Jim held his hair out of his face. The room was still steamy from Mulder's and Skinner's bath. The gingerroot had the opposite affect -- its mere scent had caused Sandburg to become nauseous. 

"Man, I'm dying," Sandburg grumbled. 

"You're not dying." Ellison helped his lover to his feet. "I'm going to get you some crackers. At least those you can keep down. Then we'll go to bed." 

"I have work to do in the greenhouse," Sandburg said then rinsed his mouth out with water. 

"You need your sleep." 

"After I'm done in the greenhouse." 

"It can wait until the morning," Ellison said firmly. 

"Okay, fine." Sandburg figured he could just get up again after Jim fell asleep. 

They headed into their bedroom and changed for bed. Ellison handed Blair a large homemade cracker and a glass of water. 

"I wish we had some peanut butter," Sandburg said as he took a bite of the dry cracker. 

"If we did, do you think you could keep it down?" 

Sandburg realized that he was actually craving peanut butter. "I think so ... the thought of it isn't making me nauseous. But we don't have any way of getting peanut butter up here at this time of year. And the way the stores were looted this fall I doubt we'll find any come spring." 

"Could peanuts grow this far north?" 

"This is probably the furthest north they can grow, but where would we get the plants?" 

"We'll check around to see if any of our neighbors are growing them. If not, we'll ask Paul Doggett, he might be able to get some plants for us." 

"Let's go to bed, big guy." 

~x~X~x~ 

A few hours later, Ellison didn't know what woke him but he realized that Blair was no longer in bed with him. He swore as he threw off the covers, climbed out of bed, and hurried across the cold floor. First he went to look in the greenhouse, but didn't find him there. Ellison stood still and listened for his lover. When he realized Blair was not in the cabin he hurried back to their bedroom and got dressed. 

In the hall closet he found Blair's coat and boots next to his. Why would his lover go outside without his coat? 

Pulling on his coat, Ellison headed for the back door. The snow that had fallen through yesterday afternoon made it easy to follow Sandburg's footprints. At the side of the cabin, they changed from footprints into paw prints. 

Ellison continued to follow them until he came to the stream. Across the stream his eyes fell on Blair in wolf form, eating what appeared to be a white rabbit. Ellison morphed into a panther and joined his lover on the other side of the stream. 

'Blair, what are you doing?' he asked. 

'What does it look like I'm doing?' Sandburg ripped a leg off the rabbit and chewed it fur and all. Tiny bone crunched between his powerful jaws. 

'That isn't making you sick?' 

'Jim, this isn't the first time I changed into a wolf to hunt for dinner in the past month.' Sandburg continued to eat. 'I just forget when I change back that this is how I'm able to get enough food for myself and the baby.' 

'Laura was baffled by why you've continued to gain weight, when you were throwing up everything you ate.' Ellison watched as his lover finished eating the rabbit. 'Are you still hungry?' 

'No. I'm fine now.' 

They headed back toward the cabin still in animal form. When they entered the farmyard they morphed back. 

Sandburg looked completely surprised to find himself outside in his pajamas and barefoot. Ellison scooped him into his arms and carried him the rest of the way through the snow to the cabin. 

"Jim, what were we doing outside?" 

"I went outside looking for you," Ellison said as he set Blair back on his feet on the kitchen floor. "I found you in wolf form eating a rabbit on the other side of the stream. Then I must have changed into a panther because that's all I remember." 

Sandburg frowned as he stood shivering. "It probably explains why I'm feeling so full." 

"I hope you won't be coughing up any hairballs." Ellison took Blair's hand and led him toward the bathroom. "I think you need a hot shower." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Fox, Bear, and Dog 

Thursday, April 4, 2002 

As spring approached the snow rapidly melted. The temperature climbed into the upper sixties, and the farmyard became muddy from the melting snow. They had to lay down planks of wood so they could walk from the house to the barn and chicken coop without their shoes sinking in the mud. 

The morning sun shone in through the bedroom window as a rooster crowed outside. At six months, Skinner was miserable. The baby was more active and seemed to be sitting on his bladder. His back-ached and his ankles were swollen, preventing him from fitting into his shoes, and his nipples hurt, too. To make matters worse his sweatpants were now too small. For the past week, he had been stuck inside wearing only a robe, briefs, and slippers. 

Skinner opened his eyes when he felt a hand on his round belly as the baby moved. 

With a guilty look, Mulder quickly pulled his hand away. He was dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt and looked amazingly beautiful in the early morning light. "I'm going to the Schmidt's farm this morning with John. We're going to take them the two chairs we made and some fresh vegetables." 

The days were getting longer and the snow had melted to the point that it wouldn't take as long to reach the pig farm on horseback and make it back in the same day. 

"Did you and John finish the pig pen?" Skinner asked as he struggled to sit up. 

Mulder helped Skinner to his feet. "Last night we put up the last of the fencing." 

"Fuck!" Skinner winced as a cramp knotted the muscles in his calf, making it impossible for him to stand on that leg. 

"Another leg cramp?" Mulder asked as he saw the pain on his lover's face and the way he stood favoring one leg. 

"Yeah, my right calf." 

Mulder kneeled and massaged that leg. "How's that?" 

"A little better." Skinner sighed as those long elegant fingers worked their magic. 

After a few minutes of tenderly kneading the leg muscles Skinner was able to stand on it, Mulder stood and kissed him. "Frohike is coming over this morning to help you in the kitchen. Langly and Bond will be helping with the outside chores and Byers is going to watch Laura's place so she can come here for yours, Alex's, and Blair's bimonthly checkup." 

"That's just great," Skinner grumbled. He hated being seen in his present condition. It wouldn't be so bad if he had clothes that fit. At least he was able to wear his briefs under his belly, so if the robe slipped open he wouldn't give everyone a free show. 

"It won't be that bad." Mulder helped him on with his robe. "You like talking to Frohike." 

That was true, the little man had become as good of a friend to Skinner as he was to Mulder. Skinner grabbed Fox's hand and brought it to his lips. "Don't stay at the Schmidt's any longer than you have to. I want you home tonight." 

Mulder smiled as they laced their fingers together with the matching gold bands. "I'll be home, Walter, I prefer sleeping with you at night." 

Skinner unlaced their fingers and caressed Mulder's ass through the denim. "Don't forget it's John's birthday, and we're going to celebrate it tonight." 

"I won't forget. Do you have our present wrapped?" 

"Yes. I better get your breakfast started," Skinner said. 

"John and I already made ourselves some toast and coffee. We wanted to get an early start." 

"I guess I'll make oatmeal for the other guys," Skinner said as they stepped out of the bedroom. 

Doggett was waiting for Mulder at the back door. 

Mulder turned and kissed Skinner goodbye. "We'll be back for dinner." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Fox and Dog 

Thursday, April 4, 2002 

"It's going to be a beautiful day," Doggett said as he glanced up at the clear blue sky. 

Mulder looked at his friend as they rode side by side. "Do you know what this beautiful weather is going to bring?" 

"A lot of work," Doggett said. 

"And return to guard duty," Mulder said, "How will we explain Walter's, Alex's, and Blair's absences?" 

"Frohike's in charge of the schedule, so no one will ever know." 

"I hadn't thought of that. It's nice having friends in high places," Mulder quipped. 

"The first chance we get, we need to go scavenging through the ruins for baby supplies," Doggett said. 

"What type of baby supplies?" 

"Cloth diapers, baby clothes, baby bottles, bibs...." 

"Scavenging the ruins is going to be harder than it was last fall," Mulder said. "Sean says the military has now stationed troops around some of the destroyed cities to prevent looting and lawlessness." 

"We'll have to be more careful then." 

They stopped at a ledge that overlooked the valley below. As Mulder gazed out over the majestic view his mind turned to the alien attack and his life's work of proving their existence. What was he doing hiding on this mountain when he could be fighting them? He glanced at the ring Walter had given him. 

"What's wrong, Fox?" 

"Am I being selfish by staying here when I could be helping our military fight the aliens?" 

"You're only one man. What could you possibly do that they aren't already doing?" 

"The military has no idea what the aliens want and I do." 

"If the military ever found out what the aliens did to you, they'd use you as a guinea pig. So get that thought out of your head." 

"They don't have to find out." 

Doggett looked into his eyes then nodded at the ring. "Are you and Walt really serious about getting married?" 

"Yes." Mulder smiled as he glanced down at his ring. "I love Walter and he loves me." 

"Even when he loses his temper with you?" 

"His hormones are out of whack because of this pregnancy." Mulder shrugged. "I can't blame him for growling at me occasionally." 

"Alex's hormones are out of whack too, but his personality seems to be intact." Doggett frowned as they continued riding side by side. "And that's the problem...." 

"Problem?" Mulder could see his friend struggling to find words. 

"If it weren't for the baby we'd have absolutely nothing in common." Doggett confessed. "He's not the sort of man I usually find attractive, but I feel this strange sort of bond to him because he's pregnant with my child. At first I thought it was love but it's not -- we're just too different." 

"I'm sorry you're having problems. Personally, I've always found Krycek attractive even when I was still only interested in women," Mulder confessed. "It was probably why his betrayal hurt so much." 

"I find you attractive ... we have a lot in common." 

"John...." 

"Don't worry ... I'm not going to come between you and Walt." Doggett straightened in the saddle. "And I'm not about to shirk my responsibility either. I plan to stick by Alex and our baby, even if Alex is only interested in his own needs." 

Mulder worried over John's confession. He'd been too involved with Walter to notice any problems in his friend's relationship. They seemed perfectly happy at Christmas. Unlike he and Walter, John and Alex never seemed to have any arguments. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Bear and Frog 

Thursday, April 4, 2002 

When Doctor Nightingale walked out of Skinner's bedroom followed by the surly bear, Frohike looked up from frosting the birthday cake for Doggett. Laura had finished her examinations of Krycek and Sandburg earlier. 

"I'm going to leave now, Melvin," Laura said. "Do you want me to send John back here for the party?" 

"If you're sure you don't want to stay for the party?" 

"I'm sure. I have some things I need to get done back at my place." She turned to Skinner. "Walter, don't forget I want you to cut back on your sodium intake." 

"Yes, Doctor." He walked over and sat on the stool by the cook's table, adjusting his robe to cover his legs. 

Frohike couldn't help but notice the pout on his friend's lips. This wasn't easy for the larger man. 

Laura pulled on her jacket. "I'll see you in two weeks unless you need to see me sooner. Say goodbye to the other men for me. And tell Mulder that I want to give him a thorough examination the next time I stop out." 

"Fox is not going to be very agreeable," Skinner said. 

"He's the source of yours and John's infections; I think it's important to find out just how he infected you and how contagious he is." 

"Couldn't you get that by examining Krycek?" Skinner asked. 

"No." Laura opened the back door to get her horse from the barn. "Bye, I'll see you later." 

"Bye, Laura." Frohike was watching Skinner; he couldn't quite make out that look on his friend's face. 

"What's wrong, Walt?" he asked. 

"You have two eyes!" Skinner growled. "Look at me! I'm a fat, bald, middle-aged man stuck inside wearing a bathrobe because my clothes no longer fit. And now that beautiful woman wants to get my lover naked and touch him in places that only I have touched him." 

"You're not fat, you're pregnant there's a difference." Frohike put the empty icing bowl into the sink and filled it with hot water. "If it will put your mind at ease, Laura and Byers have been seeing each other for the last couple of months." 

Skinner ignored him. "Fox is gorgeous, slim, sexy ... he could have his choice of -- " 

"Shut up! Mulder isn't shallow!" Frohike slammed his fist on the table. "The man loves you, and you better accept that love for what it is and stop projecting your insecurities on him! Now get off your ass and help me with dinner!" 

With wide eyes, Skinner slid off the stool. "What do you want me to do?" 

"You can start by peeling and cubing eight potatoes, one large onion, and six carrots then wash the dirty dishes in the sink." 

They worked quietly for an hour. Frohike arranged the cubed potatoes, onions, and carrots in a large roasting pan around a six pound venison roast. He drizzled vegetable oil on them and dried parsley. When he reached for the salt he remembered what Laura said about Skinner cutting back on his sodium intake. The guys could season it themselves after it was cooked, he decided. 

Skinner was the first to break the silence. "I want to name the baby Fox but I haven't been able to bring it up knowing how Fox feels about his name." 

"Whose last name would the baby have?" Frohike asked. 

"Mine ... I suppose." 

"Fox Skinner?" Frohike couldn't keep a straight face and broke out laughing. 

A sheepish smile spread across Skinner's lips. "Okay, I admit that's not the best name...." 

"No, it's not." 

Krycek, dressed in sweatpants and a jean jacket, came inside through the back door. He was carrying a small wrapped package that he placed next to others on the coffee table in the parlor. "Need any help?" 

"If you wouldn't mind picking some lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers for the salad," Frohike said. 

"I don't mind," Krycek said as he headed back to the greenhouse. 

"What's your middle name, Melvin?" Skinner asked. 

"Connor ... why?" 

"Just wondering. What's Langly's middle name?" 

"Ringo. And John's is Fitzgerald." 

Glancing out the kitchen window, Frohike saw Mulder and Doggett ride into the farmyard. "They're back already and it looks like they have our shoats with them." 

~x~X~x~ 

Outside clearing a spot for the herb garden at the side of the cabin, Bond, Langly, Sandburg and Ellison stopped their work and hurried over to help with the small pigs that were in four burlap sacks slung over the backs of the horses. The pigs were squealing loudly with their tiny snouts poking out of holes that were in the bags. Mulder felt unsettled, the pigs sounded like human babies crying. 

They carried the sacks into the pigpen where they freed the small pigs. Mulder and Doggett slid out of the saddles. "I've got them, John. Go inside and enjoy the rest of your birthday." Mulder smiled. 

"How did you know?" 

"Walter remembered from your personnel file." Mulder took the reins on the horses while Doggett grabbed their saddlebags. 

"John, can you put my saddlebags in the bedroom without Walter seeing what's inside? I want to save it as a surprise for later." 

"Sure." 

Mulder led the horses into the barn and removed their saddles then took his time brushing and feeding them all the while talking in soothing tones. 

On his way back to the house, Mulder stopped to check on the pigs. He, John, and Jim had built a shelter inside the pigpen for the animals to get out of the weather. All four pigs were huddled inside the shelter. As he looked into their big brown eyes, Mulder decided to leave the raising of the pigs to John and Frohike because there was no way he'd be able to kill them come fall. 

The sun was setting as he made his way across the yard and into the house. 

Walter was waiting for him by the door and helped him off with his jacket. The other men were in the kitchen talking. Krycek had his arm around Doggett's waist, and they looked like a loving couple. 

"How was your trip?" Skinner asked. 

"The weather was perfect for horseback riding." Mulder took a deep breath and smiled. "Mm, something smells good -- I'm starving." 

"Venison roast, polenta, and onion baked potatoes and carrots." 

"I can't wait." Mulder took Skinner's hand and led him to their bedroom. "I brought you back something." 

"What?" 

"You'll see." 

After they stepped inside the room, Mulder closed the door then walked over and picked up the saddlebag where John had left it on the recliner. He pulled out the pair of overalls. "Mrs. Schmidt made these. They should have enough room that you'll be able to wear them for the next three months." Although Mulder and Skinner never discussed whether he'd go all the way through with the pregnancy, they both knew that he had no other choice. "And with the weather warming up, you can wear my sneakers outside." Mulder had slightly larger feet than Skinner. 

Skinner took the overalls and held them up against his body. He smiled as he touched the blue denim. "Thanks, Fox. At least now I'll be able to go outside and help with the chores again." 

Mulder was relieved to see that smile on his lover's face. "I really liked the plans you designed for the raised beds for the vegetable gardens. We could start building them tomorrow." 

The truth was Mulder had been really impressed by the detailed plans Walter had drawn up for several vegetable gardens. Each had different types of vegetables that grew well together. They had plenty of seeds that they'd picked up from their scavenger trips off the mountain and seeds saved from last year's harvest. 

"I'm really looking forward to going outside and working in the soil," Skinner said. 

"You'll get your wish tomorrow. And if the weather stays this nice then John, Jim, and I should be able to take a scavenger trip off the mountain in a few weeks." 

"I would prefer you stayed here. We don't need anything off the mountain." 

"Yes we do." Mulder placed his hands on his lover's belly. "Walter, we can't avoid talking about this any longer. In another three months we're going to have a baby to take care of ... and we'll need stuff for the baby." 

Skinner's lips thinned and his eyes hardened as he pushed Mulder's hands off his belly. "Get out!" 

As Mulder looked into Skinner's angry face a feeling of total despair washed over him -- his lips quivered as he staggered over and sank onto the recliner. He curled up on the chair and started to cry. The stress from the past months had finally taken their toll on him. He vaguely heard the door open and close. 

~x~X~x~ 

Skinner sat outside on the front porch while inside the cabin he could hear the men celebrating John's birthday. Why couldn't he talk about the baby with Fox? Why did it make him so angry? He had no problem mentioning the baby to Frohike -- even discussing a name for the baby with the little man. 

Years ago he had told Fox that he was afraid to look in the shadows. Maybe he still was, or maybe he feared that Fox would think he was less of a man. Either way he needed to confront this pregnancy and what it was doing to his and his lover's relationship. 

As he looked out into the night, Frohike stepped out on the porch. "You and Mulder missed dinner and John's cake. Do you want to tell me what's up with you two?" 

"I'm an asshole." Skinner didn't look at the little man as Frohike sat next to him. 

"You'll get no arguments from me." 

"Thanks." Skinner sighed. "I made Fox cry. Fuck, I've never seen him cry before I don't know how to handle it." 

"Some marine...." Frohike snorted. 

"You're no help." 

"Sometimes you have to figure it out for yourself." Frohike stood as Jimmy and Langly came out of the house. "See you tomorrow, Walt." 

Skinner watched them climb on their bicycles and head off into the night. After another couple of hours of soul searching, Skinner stood and headed back inside. He hadn't realized how late it had gotten. The lights were out in the house. Only the glow from the potbellied stove in parlor provided any light. His bladder was killing him so first he headed into the bathroom. 

After taking care of business, he took a deep breath and walked over to the closed bedroom door. Inside, the bedroom was dark and cold. No fire burned in the hearth. From the little moonlight shining in through one window, Skinner could make out Fox's shape still curled up on the recliner with his feet tucked beneath him. He couldn't tell if his lover was awake or sleeping as he walked over to the chair and kneeled as best as he could beside it. 

"Are you awake?" 

"I'm not getting out," came the soft voice from the chair. 

"Look ... I'm sorry, Fox." Skinner placed his hand on Mulder's leg. "You were right we need to talk about the baby." 

Mulder turned to look at him but remained silent. 

Skinner patted Mulder's leg and stood. "This room is freezing. Let me build a fire in the fireplace while you get ready for bed." 

For a moment, while he placed logs in the hearth, Skinner wondered if Mulder would get out of that chair. Then his lover stood and walked out of the room. A couple of minutes later he heard the toilet flush then water running in the sink. 

The kindling was burning when Fox walked back into the bedroom, dressed in an undershirt and boxers. He set his jeans, shoes, and shirt on the chair. Keeping his eyes downcast, he climbed into bed and slid over to his side. 

The sadness and uncertainty in the way that Mulder carried himself tore at the Skinner's heart. Shedding the robe, the older man climbed into bed. He shivered at the coldness of the sheets and reached over for his lover's warm body. "C'mere, let's talk." 

Skinner felt Mulder stiffen then reluctantly move into his arms. It didn't go by his notice that Mulder seemed to be trying to avoid touching his large belly, so Skinner grabbed his lover's hand and placed it over it, before planting a gentle kiss on Mulder's lips. "Do you feel him moving? I can tell that he's yours -- he doesn't seem to sleep much and is constantly kicking me." 

Mulder wrapped his arms around Skinner's body and moved closer until they were comfortably cuddling with their heads resting together on Skinner's pillow. "Does this mean I don't have to worry about touching you? Or is this only for tonight?" 

"No ... you don't have to worry." Skinner sighed contentedly. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk." He loved the way Mulder's warm body felt pressed against his and the arousing scent of him. Damn, he didn't want to chance throwing this away. 

"You said you wanted to talk about the baby." 

"I was thinking if it's a boy we could name him Connor, if that's all right with you." 

"Connor is Frohike's middle name." Mulder smiled. "You want to name our baby after my best friend?" 

"Our best friend and it was pointed out that Fox Skinner wasn't such a good name." Skinner smiled. 

"I like Connor, but what if it's a girl?" 

"Connie or Melanie." 

"Melanie isn't too bad...." 

Skinner heard the disapproval in his lover's voice and asked, "Do you have a better name?" 

Mulder was quiet for a moment then smiled and said, "Ripley." 

It took Skinner a while to place the name. "Fox, we're not naming our daughter after Sigourney Weaver's character in Aliens." 

"It's better than Connie." 

"I'll give you that one." Skinner sighed. "I'm hungry ... you know what I'd kill for?" 

"A BLT sandwich?" 

"No, pumpkin pie." 

Mulder shifted. "We still have one jar of pumpkin left from what we put up in the fall. Do you want me to get up and make you one?" 

Skinner weighed cuddling in bed with Fox over his craving. He could almost taste the pie but Fox smelled and felt so good. This was a close one. "Hm, you can make it for me in the morning." 

"Do you like the name Ripley?" 

"If you make me that pie I don't care if we name the kid Libby." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Rat and Wolf 

Monday, April 15, 2002 

While standing in front of the bathroom mirror, Krycek dressed for the day. At five months pregnant he had put on quite a bit of weight, even his face looked rounder. The worse part of his appearance was that his once flat breasts were getting larger and appearing more feminine. His sweatpants were too tight, but there was no way he was going to wear a pair of goofy bib overalls. He'd rather walk around naked. 

"Fuck it," he sighed. 

Krycek had no idea just how much of a pain being pregnant would be. Women made it seem so easy. 

"Dammit!" He yanked at the too tight elastic waistband. Only one thing he could do -- find a pair of pants that would fit, before he could no longer fit into the sweatpants. 

As Krycek pulled on his boots that were also too tight, he thought about John. His lover was very attentive to his needs, and for a while Krycek had thought he'd found that fairytale life he'd always dreamed about. Unfortunately, he'd spent too many years alone and on the run for him to let John completely into his life. What bothered him was that he knew he was hurting John, but he didn't know how to fix that hurt without resorting to lies. 

The day was warm so he planned to ride a bicycle over to the ranger's station then take the motorcycle off the mountain into the ruins. He was already running late. Everyone else had been up for hours. 

Sandburg was in the kitchen cooking when he stepped out of the bathroom. 

"Alex, would you like breakfast?" 

"Sure. Can you just fry me up an egg sandwich so I can take it with me?" 

"Sure, man." Sandburg broke a couple of eggs into the frying pan. "Everyone is clearing the field, I'm sure they could use your help." 

Krycek did not plan to work in the field today but he didn't tell Sandburg that. In fact he decided not to tell anyone where he was going. Call it rebellion, but Krycek longed for the freedom to come and go, as he wanted, when he wanted, without having to explain himself to anyone -- even John. He wasn't about to forgo his freedom like Fox had to Skinner. The baby moved and Krycek realized that when it was born his freedom would be curtailed for years. What had he been thinking? 

Sandburg handed him the greasy sandwich. "I melted a slice of cheddar on it." 

"Thanks, Blair." Krycek took a bite as he walked out the back door and headed for the barn to retrieve one of the bicycles. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Bear, Fox, Dog, Panther and Wolf 

Skinner used the tractor to pull out a tree stump and haul it over to where they were separating the wood and stone refuse. While he rode the tractor the other three men worked in their t-shirts with leather gloves on their hands to clear large stones and wood from the field. They stacked the stones in two separate piles, one for use in building a fireplace up in the loft and the other in the new addition. 

Under the hot sun, Mulder removed his T-shirt and tossed it aside. 

"Fox," Skinner said loud enough to be heard over the rumbling of the tractor's motor. He loved the definition of muscles in his lover's arms and torso, and could happily spend the day admiring him. But he disapproved of Fox tossing his shirt on the ground. In today's world, he felt it had to be stressed the importance of taking care of your possessions. None of them knew how to sew. Although they might be able to barter for sewing lessons from Carol Schmidt, but not until Skinner, Sandburg, and Krycek had their babies. 

Mulder glanced up at Skinner and followed his eyes to the crumpled cotton lying in the dirt. He shrugged then bent to retrieve the shirt. Shaking the dirt off he folded it, then set it on a log where they had shovels and axes leaning. 

They went back to working, until sometime after noon when Sandburg showed up with a picnic basket. 

"I brought lunch." He spread out a blanket on the ground and set the basket on it. 

Everyone stopped their work and gathered around the blanket. Sandburg handed them fried potato and mushroom sandwiches, and then poured iced tea from a plastic pitcher. 

"Mm, thanks, Chief," Ellison said as he sank down on the blanket next to his lover. 

As they were eating Sandburg noticed that Krycek wasn't with them. "Guys, where's Alex?" 

"I thought he was back at the cabin," Doggett said. 

"No. He got up a few hours ago, grabbed an egg sandwich, then was going to head over here and help with clearing the field," Sandburg said. 

"He's probably decided to do something less labor intensive today," Skinner grumbled as sat on a log between Mulder and Doggett munching on the sandwich. His back was killing him and the heat was making him feel irritable. 

Doggett frowned. "You're probably right. Being confined in the cabin all winter had been getting on his nerves, he probably went for a hike. Maybe he walked over to visit the Gunmen." 

"Maybe you should go look for him to make sure he's all right," Mulder said. 

"I'm sure he's fine. And he wouldn't appreciate me checking up on him," Doggett said, his voice was slightly filled with concern. "If he's not back in a couple of hours, I'll go track him down." 

~x~X~x~ 

Krycek searched through a deserted Big Men's store and found several pairs of jeans that would fit his expanding waistline in the coming months and a few oversized shirts. He kept one of the smaller sizes and stored the larger ones in the compartment on the side of the motorcycle. After he found a pair of boots that fit, he removed his old pair and put it and his too tight clothes in the other compartment on the bike then he climbed onto the seat dressed in new jeans, shirt, and boots. 

Feeling halfway human again, Krycek headed for home. He made it onto a back highway when he ran into a military roadblock. Trucks and Humvees blocked the road in the direction heading out of the city, but not the stretch of highway heading into the city. So he gunned the bike, drove through the dirt divider, leaped onto the other side of the highway, and sped past them. They shouted and two Hummers turned and gave chase. 

At times they reached speeds of over one hundred miles per hour. Reaching a curve, Krycek slowed only to discover he'd misjudged the road conditions. He hit a patch of gravel and sand. Son-of-a-bitch. Losing control, he wiped out. Thrown from the bike, he rolled down an incline, feeling a bone snap in his leg. His descent was instantly arrested when his head slammed into something. He was aware the bike landed several feet away, then a gut-wrenching pain tore through in his abdomen. He had no idea what the hell happened after that. 

~x~X~x~ 

End of Chapter Eleven: Hearts 'n Flowers 

Coming soon Chapter Twelve: Spring Romance 

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